Car truck



E. B. WEBB Jan. 1l, 1944.

cm Tauck wma ual-cn 15, -1941 Patented Jan. 11, 1944 UNITED VSTATES PATENT 4OFFICE.

` zssssss L CAB TRUCK Edwin W. Webb, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Standard Car Truck Company, Chicago, lll., a oorporation of New Jersey Application March 15, 1941, Serial No. 383,569

.4 Claims. l(Cl. HD5-197.2)

This invention relates to railway car trucks, intended more particularly for freight cars. of the class in which the bolster supporting springs are stabilized, that is, their vibratory movements damped or checked to prevent a building up or increase in amplitude of such vibratory move- 'I'he primary object of the present invention is to provide a truck of this type so constructed as to permit the use of bolster springs which are considerably longer, for example 50% or more longer, than the springs which have heretofore been used in trucks of the stabilizing type. This spring length not only provides a more resilientsupport for the car body and its load, but also makes the damping or snubbing of the springs by the stabilizing mechanism more effective, since it is easier to eifectively damp or snub vibratory movements which are long, and consequently relatively slow and of low frequency, than vibratory movements which are short and of higher frequency. The employment of longer bolster springs, in accordance with the present invention, does not involve any change in established requirements of railroads providing for certain minimum distances between the top of the rail and the lowest points on the side frames and between the top of the rail and the center line of the draw-bar, whereby interchangeability of railway cars as between railroads is provided for. In accordance with the present invention the greater bolster spring length is made possible by using, in place of a truss form of side frame with its top or compression member under which the end of the bolster must extend, a girder type of side frame formed with .a recess for the springs and end of the bolster, which recess is open at the top, that is, is not provided with a compression member; the lower portion of the side frame being reinforced so as to compensate for the absence of the compression mem ber and so as to insure adequate load carrying strength. In this way it is possible, within present clearance requirements, to use springs which, for example, are twelve and three-quarters inches in length instead of eight and one-quarter inches, as

has been customary. A spring of twelve and three-quarters inches length may be capable of compression to the extent of three inches more or less instead of one and five-eighths inches in the case of eight and one-quarter inch springs. This increased possible amplitude of the vibratory movements of the springs makes possible a more eillcient snubblng or damping of such vibratory movements by means of the spring pressed stabilizing wedges. as will be described.

A further object of the invention is to provide a compact truck structure, of the type indicated, which will be simple in its construction and will facilitate the shimming up of the springs, or removal of the shims, necessary sometimes to adlust the draw-bar to the required level.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation,fragmentary in character, of a car truck in accordance with the present invention, the right hand part of the side frame being shown in section as on line i--I of Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the bolster and side frame.

Referring to the drawing A designates one of the two side frames of the car truck; B one of the journal boxes on said side frame; C one of the wheels; the line D the upper surface o! the rail;

E the truck bolster; and FFF the bolster or primary load bearing springs consisting preferably in each case, as is usual, of a pair of coils. one within the other. There are preferably three of these double springs. The number might be increased to four, with consequent lengthening of the'side frame which, however, would not be desirable. If additional load-carrying capacity is required of the springs, the better way would be to use the same nmnber of springs but make them stronger. Naturally for lighter loads two such springs, double or single, might bo employed instead of the three double springs shown.

The side frame A is formed with vertical channeled columns Il, Il, providing between them a deep recess Il, extending down tothe horizontal web i2 which forms the support or seat for the springs, and open at the top, that is to say, without any compression member between the upper ends of the channeled columns Il. This drop girder structure is reinforced to give it the adequate strength. in compensation for the absence of the compression member, by the box-like character of structure Il which forms the central lower part of the side frame and by means of vertical webs i4 and horizontally extending flanges II. The vertical webs I4 may be lightened by the openings I8 which are preferably arranged so as to allow foreign matter to escape or be taken out of the space l I.

The springs FFF are arranged within the space II and the absence of the com-pression member makes it possible for these springs to be lengthened, as stated above, without violating clearance requirements.

The truck bolster E is provided with the usual cente plate I1 and with flat pads Ila for the side arings of the car body (not shown). The bolster is enlarged at each end, in the direction longitudinally of the car, as indicated at I8. This enlarged portion of the bolster rests upon the springs FFF which, preferably, in order to give compactness to such structure, are arranged in line, as shown in Figs. l and 3. Fig. 3 shows at |9-I9 brackets for the brake connections, with which the present invention is not concerned. Preferably the end of the bolster is formed with depending flanges 20 to keep the bolster springs 'FFF in place.

Wedging devices are arranged between the columns I and the adjacent portions of the bolster. Preferably the wedging device, in each case, consists of a movable wedge member 2| adapted to slide vertically against a wear plate 22 secured to the web 23 ofthe column member Ill. The wedge is pressed upwardly by an auxiliary or snubbing coiled spring 24, which is a lighter spring than the springs F, against a wedging surface 25 on the bolster E. The wedge 2| is preferably provided with a depending flange 2B to keep spring 24 in place, and its wedging face 21 is preferably rounded slightlyas shown in Fig. l. 'Ihe arrangements are, of course, the same on both sides of the bolster which latter is movable vertically and is guided in its movements by the channeled columns II).

As the bolster is forced downwardly, when a wheel passes over a rail joint, for example, springs FFF are compressed and then expanded; and with rail joints regularly spaced the vibratory movements of the springs would, without the presence of the stabilizing devices necessarily build up with increasing amplitudes of movement until the springs were completely compressed, whereupon the carbody would be given shocks of more or less violent character that might damage the cargo and may result in the breakage of the bolster springs. The purpose of the stabilizing spring pressed wedges is to break up this harmonic movement of the bolster springs in compression and expansion. By using long bolster springs instead of relatively short springs,

the movements of com-pressionand expansion are lengthened and their frequency diminished. Under these conditions the damping or snubbing spring pressed wedges act more eiliciently so that the car rides better and there is lessl danger of breakage of the bolster springs. The coiled springs 24 are substantially as long as the main or primary load carrying springs, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, so that the two sets of springs, the primary load carrying springs and the auxiliary or snubbing springs, will have substantially the same travel under vibratory movements of the load. If the auxiliary springs were substantially shorter than the primary springs there would be danger of the auxiliary springs going solid before the primary springs, with the resultant breakage of the auxiliary springs, particularly as these auxiliary springs are, as stated, lighter than the primary springs. 'f'

The bolster and side frames are so constructed as to give the requisite strength without excessive weight.

'I'he bolster E is, preferably, a hollow structure comprising a top plate 28., a bottom plate 23, side webs 30 which are continued along the enlargements I8 of the top plate, as indicated at l0 3l, internal vertical reinforcing webs 32 and 33, and end webs 34 along the enlarged ends I8 of the bolster, which are preferably formed with openings 35 and reinforcing ribs 3B.

The side frame A comprises, in addition to the elements specifically referred to above, a bottom web 3l which with the web I2 and the lower portions of the vertical webs I4 form the box-like structure I3 referred to. At each end of the side frame is a structure for carrying the journal box,

which is preferably cast integral with this structure; such structure consisting of a substantially horizontal web 38, spaced vertical webs 39, 39, and

a diagonal reinforcing web 40.

This structure is both light and strong, and particularly the lower portion of the side frame is reinforced and given very considerable strength to compensate for the absence of a compression member;

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described. It will be understood that this construction is merely illustrative of applicants invention which is not to be considered as limited .to the details of construction shown and described. The intention is to cover by patent all equivalents and also all modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A railway car truck comprising a bolster, an end of which is enlarged, longitudinally of the truck and formed on opposite sides with downwardly and inwardly inclined wedge faces; a side frame having vertical columns providing a space, which is open at the top, to accommodate the end of the bolster and bolster springs; a plurality of bolster springs arranged in line in said space and under the enlarged end of the bolster; wedges interposed between said columns and the wedge faces of the bolsteryand springs in line with the bolster springs to keep the Wedges in operative position to damp the vibratory movements of the bolster springs.

2. In a railway car truck the combination of a side frame comprising r vertical columns, side webs, and bottom members, the latter spaced one above the other, which together provide a boxlike structure at the bottom of the side frame, said side webs extending above the box-like structure to provide reinforcements between the lower ends of the columns and the aforesaid constructions providing a space which is open at the top; a bolster, an end of which extends into said space and is guided between said columns; coiled bolster springs in said space, seated on-said box-like structure and supporting the bolster; a spring pressed wedging means between the columns and bolster to damp the vibratory movements of the bolster springs comprising wedge surfaces on the bolster end, wedges bearing against said wedge surfaces and coiled springs lighter than but of substantially the same length as the bolster springs seated on said boxlike structure and supporting said Wedges.

3. In a railway car truck the combination of a side frame comprising vertical columns, side 75 webs, and bottom members, the latter spaced one assaces above the other, which together provide a reinforcing box-like structure at the bottom of the side frame, said side webs extending above the box-like structure to provide reinforcements between the lower ends oi' the columns and the aforesaid constructions providing a space which is open at the top; a bolster an end of which extends into said space, is guided between said columns and is formed on opposite sides with downwardly and inwardly inclined wedging faces; bolster springs in said space supporting the bolster; and spring pressed wedges between said columns and the wedge faces of the bolster to damp the vibratory movements oi the bolster springs.

4. In a railway car truck the combination of: a side irame comprising vertical columns, side webs, and bottom members, the latter spaced one above the other. which together provide a boxlike structure at the bottom of the side frame, reinforcements between the lower ends of the columns and a space that is open at the top; a bolster an end of which is enlarged in the direction longitudinally of the car and formed on op posite sides with inwardly and downwardly inclined wedge faces; a plurality of bolster springs in alignment in said space and under the enlarged end of the bolster; wedges arranged between the columns and adjacent wedge faces on the bolster; and springs in alignment with said bolster springs for maintaining said wedges in operative position to damp the vibratory movements of the bolster springs.

EDWLN W. WEBB. 

